


The Magnificent Train Robbery

by Trams



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Established Relationship, Humor, M/M, Robbery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 03:33:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13604658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trams/pseuds/Trams
Summary: Billy and Goody rob a train, because why not mess with Pacific-Union. After all, they never paid Billy when he used to be an indentured servant.





	The Magnificent Train Robbery

**Author's Note:**

> Months ago I was talking to decoy_ocelot about Goody and Billy getting up to all kinds of wild and crazy stuff in their youth. Then there was a post about how there should be train robbery fic. And really I was going to do all of that in this fic... Buut it didn't turn out exactly that way. But a train does get robbed.

A brook cut through Badgerville’s dusty main street, and Billy had to walk his horse over a rickety bridge, the water in the ditch barely more than a trickle, and muddy from dust and dirt, it didn’t even sparkle in the sunshine. The side of the brook he had come from only had the sheriff’s office, a large building, which unlike the rest of the town, was built out of red bricks, and the post office. The rest of the town nestled on the other side of the brook, tightly packed wood houses, on a slight incline, the other end of the street hidden by the slope.

Billy tied his horse outside the saloon, three buildings away from the bridge, and walked inside. There wasn’t a huge drop in temperature, still sweltering, but his eyes needed a second to get used to how dim it was out of the sun. 

Once he could see more clearly he could take stock of the number of people there – ten, not including the barman – exits – the one he’d just come through, a backdoor, and two windows on either side of the front door – and, importantly, visible guns – seventeen, but that didn’t take into account the number of guns hidden on any one person, and the barman likely had some firepower behind the counter.

It wasn’t difficult starting things in a bar, especially when you looked markedly different from everyone else, he could start anything from all out brawl to a proper shoot out, but that wasn’t why he was here.

Cocking his hip he eyed the bar once more, this time more obviously, and with an air of someone deeply unimpressed – not a stretch. He swaggered over to the counter and said loudly, “Doub there’s anyone in this sad backwater town who even knows how to hold a gun.”

This got him immediate attention, and some actual glares once they got a proper look at him. The man sitting by the bar, with a scar down his cheek, openly glared at him. Billy reached the counter just as the barman set down a fresh glass in front of the man with the scar. Billy swiped it and downed it in one go. 

Billy liked when he got to be cocky, when he got to ride that thin line between being supremely confident in his own skill and extreme recklessness. It felt a lot more true to himself than holding back, being passive and unobtrusive to the point of invisible. There was a time and a place to being silently threatening, but sometimes he couldn’t help wanting to show off, because there were two things he believed in this world, and one of them was his rock solid belief in himself.

“What do ya think you are?” the man asked. Billy gave him an unimpressed look and set the glass down on the counter. The only sound in the now completely silent saloon, all the eyes on him and a collective held breath.

“Fastest gunslinger you will ever lay your eyes on,” Billy said, simply. 

There was a bit of an act to his performance, a bit of a grandiose exaggeration to his speech and mannerism he had picked up, but his confidence wasn’t an act, nor was it over-confidence. Billy was fast, he knew he was fast, and more importantly, he was good at hitting his targets.

“Oh really, we’ll see about that.”

“You think any of you can outdraw me?” Billy asked.

“Of course, you—”

“Well, then gentlemen, let’s take this outside then,” Billy said interrupting the no doubt colorful insult about to emerge from the man’s mouth. 

Billy turned and headed towards the door, this was the riskiest move, walking with his back to them, he wouldn’t put it past one to shoot him in the back, but he trusted in their need to prove themselves, their need to strut and preen and show off – an all too relatable trait.

He ducked his head to avoid having the sun straight in his eyes as he walked through the doors. Glancing to the side he spotted a familiar looking horse now standing next to his own, he let himself smile briefly, before heading towards the corrals, which he could now just make out at the end of the main street. 

Billy leaned against the fence of one of the empty pens, watching how a crowd, somewhat larger than the one in the crowd, came stomping towards him.

While there were angry mutterings the energy of the crowd wasn’t that of a mob, and there seemed to be two men actually trying to keep some sort of order; one bearing a deputy’s badge on his lapel even. Billy lit a cigarette – tobacco, there was a time and place for other things and this wasn’t it – and watched and listened while the deputy nominated himself to oversee the quick-draw.

Cans were found to be used as targets, and Billy continued to smoke and wait while the townspeople set it all up.

The man Billy had first confronted, with the scar on his cheek, stepped inside the pen. Billy picked up from the cheers the man was getting, that his name was Jackson, but Billy was listening for something else, a voice saying _“so how about a little wager?”_ in the crowd. Billy didn’t smile, just continued to smoke and listen as more and more people shouted their support for Jackson in the form of money wagered.

After a few minutes of that Billy tossed his cigarette to the ground and stood up straight. He turned to the deputy who asked, “You ready?”

Billy nodded and took his spot opposite from Jackson who had been shouting to everyone in the crowd how he was going to show him. It turned out immediately that Jackson wasn’t going to show anyone anything, as he was still pulling his gun out of the holster when Billy fired his first shot. It almost always ended up like that, the person Billy initially challenged would be the first to face off against him, they’d be angriest and so they would mess up. This was also a test of the arbiter, if Billy obviously won and the arbiter still tried to make it seem like his opponent won, well then they knew what they had to deal with. However this deputy seemed to be one of the rare instances of a fair one.

Jackson demanded a second and a third go, but Billy beat him each time. After the third time more people started demanding their go, and Billy beat them all one by one. In the crowd he could hear a few people start to bet on him. He kept an ear on the people making the bets, if it seemed like there would be too many betting on him he would need to change tactics and lose one or two rounds, but most seemed to think that the next man from the town would surely be up to the task and kept betting against Billy. He was thankful of that, didn’t like deliberately missing, he liked showing off; he didn’t need really need a crowd to do it in front, there was always only one set of blue eyes he wanted to show off to; but the crowd was an added bonus.

Slowly people started to realize they couldn’t waste all day on this spectacle and as the crowd thinned so did challengers, and soon Billy could leave the pen, only watched by a few people still lingering, and he caught the eye of one in particular, nodding almost imperceptible.

He made his way down the main street and turned down between two buildings, where the shadows were deep and a staircase leading up to the second floor as well as the roof, hid him from view from the main street. He lit a cigarette again, and paced back and forth, feeling the beginning of worry curl deep in his stomach. He’d burnt half the cigarette when Goodnight came around the corner, wide smile making the corners of his eyes crinkle under the brim of his hat.

“There you are,” Billy said, tossing the cigarette to the ground.

“So impatient,” Goody said with a lopsided smile. “I had to make sure not to arouse any suspicion,” Goody said, and Billy grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall. “Did you miss me, mon cher?” Goody asked. Billy licked his lips and looked at Goody’s mouth.

“You know I did,” Billy said and kissed him, hard and insistent, and Goody melted against him. He pulled back after a moment, but the thrill of doing this in public was making his blood thrum.

Goody reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the gains from all the bets, and Billy took a step back.

“Did you have fun?” Goody asked, and Billy smiled.

“Of course,” Billy said.

Goody laughed and split the stack of bills into two, but just as he handed the money to Billy, they heard a third voice exclaim.

“Hey!”

Billy spun around to face the alley opening where one of the men stood and stared at them, surprised expression shiftly morphing into anger.

“You knew each other! That whole quick draw was just a scam!”

Billy put the money into an inner pocket, muscles coiling and tensing as he watched the man.

“You stole my money,” the man growled. “I’m going to kill ya!”

The man’s hands went to the handles of his guns and he took a step forward. Billy’s hand shot to Goody’s chest, pushing him back while he stepped in front of Goody, his other hand going to the handle of his own gun.

“You think you’re faster than me?” Billy asked, his voice deeper. The man hesitated. Billy felt Goody’s hand on his arm.

“We should probably avoid bloodshed,” Goody said.

“What do you suggest?” Billy hissed, not taking his eyes off the other man.

“Running?”

“They’ll chase us.”

“Our horses are faster.” 

Billy could practically hear the cocky self assured smile, and it made his own mouth twitch into an almost smile. Goody continued, “and it’s been a while since they got a good gallop.”

“You make a good point,” Billy said. Excitement pumping through his blood.

Before the other man could even react Billy had pulled his gun and fired off a shot, hitting him in the leg. Holstering the gun again he grabbed Goody’s arm, and they ran past the man, now on the ground screaming bloody murder and cursing them out.

They skidded to a stop next to the saloon, throwing themselves up on the horses, at the same time as people started to look through windows and coming out through the doors. 

Billy and Goody were already riding, gaining speed as the shouts started for them to be caught. They reached the brook, narrow enough that they could avoid the bridge and just let their horses jump and sail through the air.

Urging their horses to run faster they left Badgerville surrounded by the sounds of thundering hooves and people shouting after them. They did get a posse after them, angry people shooting and shouting after them, but Goody had been right, their horses were faster. They lost them riding through the winding canyons to the north of the town and then just carried on until the sun started to set.

At the foot of a rust colored mesa they found a bit of water and vegetation, so they made their camp there. Their horses were allowed to drink and graze after they had been checked for injuries.

~*~

“What’s something you’ve always wanted to do?” Billy asked later. When the darkness had closed in, and all the light came from the stars above, the crackling fire, and the tiny little bit of light at the end of the cigarette passed between the two them as they lay side by side on the ground, arms and legs so close they were touching, comfortable, familiar, reassuring. The opium leaving them in a relaxed haze. 

Goody was silent for a bit, before handing the cigarette back to Billy, their fingers brushing and lingering, to prolong the touch for another moment.

“Rob a train,” Goody said.

Billy stopped before putting the cigarette to his lips, too surprised by Goody’s answer.

“Wait, really?” Billy asked, and took a drag from the cigarette.

“Helped blow up a railroad bridge once,” Goody said and took the cigarette Billy handed him. “During the war. Derail their supply lines, that sort of thing. Never actually robbed any trains.”

Goody turned over on his side and looked at Billy.

“There was this robbery in Indiana not long after the war ended, I heard about it when I was still drifting around aimlessly.”

“So, it’s a more recent thing?” Billy asked, and Goody nodded.

“Didn’t much know what to do with my life until I met Sam and he steered me onto a slightly less larcenous path. But it was still there in the back of my head. Wouldn’t be the first ex-confederate soldier turning to robbery.” He huffed. “I was never going to be a rich man, not after the war. So it was a tempting thought, and now.” He looked away a frown on his face, and Billy reached out and stroked his cheek. Goody looked back at him, smiling but with something soft and almost sad in his eyes. 

“I wish I could give you more. You’re tied to a man with no prospects, nothing to give except my devotion. But devotion don’t pay for food and drink. And while I give you my heart and soul, they won’t keep us warm in winter when we can’t afford a place to stay.”

“ _Goody_ ,” Billy started, cupping Goody’s cheek in his hand, warm skin and stubble tickling the palm of his hand. “You know I would never ask of you more than you are able to give, I never would have dared to hope for half the things you have brought me. What would a rich man ever need me for, other than to make me work for him?”

“And don’t I make you work for me?” Goody asked. “You are the one doing all the shooting, putting your life on the line, the center of all attention while I stand on the sidelines, watching. What do I bring you couldn’t provide for yourself?”

Billy felt a prick of anger, of annoyance and he pushed himself up, before putting both hands on Goody’s chest, pushing him to the ground, swinging a leg over him, so that Billy was straddling him. Hands on Goody’s chest, feeling his heart thump against the palm of his hand, and he looked down at Goody’s face.

“ _Companionship_ ,” Billy said. “ _Devotion_ ,” Billy continued, using the same word Goody had used. “Your heart. Your love.” He put a finger to Goody’s lips to silence him. “You are all I need.” He brushed his fingers lightly down Goody’s cheek.

“And what if I want to give you more?” Goody asked, breathless. “What if I think you deserve to be given the world?”

“Well, I don’t need the world,” Billy said, unable to help the way his lips quirked into a small smile. “It’s too big to fit in the saddle bag.”

That got him a laugh from Goody, a delighted rumbling laugh that made him shake slightly underneath Billy.

“All I want,” Billy continued, “is to ride side by side with you. I have no wish to settle down, even if we could.”

“I—” Goody started. “You are right. Of course you are right.” he smiled. “I certainly don’t need anything more than you.”

“That doesn’t mean we entirely have to rule out train robbery,” Billy said and grinned. “It would be a nice bonus to afford something off the top shelf for a change.”

Goody grinned at him.

“Oh, I like the way you are thinking.”

He levered himself up, and Billy went willingly when Goody rolled them over, and he loved the feeling of Goody’s arms around him as he was gently lowered onto his back, with Goody now straddling him.

“Maybe, we could stop by a larger town,” Goody mused. “Take into a nice place, have a room just to ourselves with a lovely bed I can lay you down on.”

“Of course your mind would go there,” Billy said. 

Goody grinned at him, gold tooth glinting. Before he leaned down for something on the ground. When he straightened again Billy noticed it was the cigarettes. He watched as Goody lit up and took a drag from it holding the smoke in his mouth and then leaned down. Billy opened his mouth feeling a thrill go through his whole body. Goody slotted his mouth over Billy’s and breathed out slowly, their lips so close as to almost touch, and Billy inhaled wisps of smoke.

He grabbed the hand Goody held the cigarette and brought it to his own mouth, feeling Goody’s fingers against his lips as he took a drag of it, keeping the smoke in his mouth he used his other hand to grab Goody’s head pulling him into a kiss, letting the smoke be shared between them as slowly it turned into more about the soft slide of lips against lips, and the soft sighs shared between them.

~*~

“Were you serious?” Billy asked the next morning, much more sober and clear headed enough to know he could just forget about it. Let it be and not bring it up again, but it had taken root in his mind now, appealing not only for the money if they got away with it, but also, there was that part of him that wanted to mess with Union-Pacific. He finished strapping the saddlebag to the saddle and turned around.

“What?” Goody asked without looking up from where he was kicking sand over the remains of the fire they had cooked breakfast over. Billy licked his lips and hesitated. He could probably still brush it off. It hadn’t been a serious conversation and it would be a stupid thing to do, but then so had trusting some white man not to hand him over to the law if he followed him, and that had turned out surprisingly well.

“Robbing a train.”

Goody straightened and looked over at Billy, hat in hand he squinted in the sunlight. He paused for a long while, and Billy didn’t fidget under his scrutiny.

“Well...” Goody started. “Kind of, yes.” He licked his lips and put his hat on his head before walking over to his horse next to Billy’s. “I mean, I’m not saying we absolutely should but—”

“Because I am,” Billy interrupted. “Serious, I mean. Of course we can just go on doing what’ve been doing to earn money, it’s working,” he said, “but the idea of having more for a little while, well.” He paused and smiled. “Can’t hurt.”

“We might not get away with it,” Goody pointed out.

“But we might,” Billy said. “We aren’t going to live till we are old and die peacefully in our bed.”

“No... No we’re not,” Goody said. “I made my peace with that a long time ago.”

“And if we do get away with it, well. I’m quite good at hiding.”

“You were caught by me, and mon cher, while I have my bouts of perhaps unwarranted self doubt, I am self aware enough to know I am not the best bounty hunter out there.”

“You were just lucky you found me,” Billy said. “And you didn’t catch me.”

“Oh, I didn’t?” Goody stepped forward to stand next to Billy, crooked smile on his face, and Billy grinned back at him. His heart skipping a little, because of the way Goody looked at him, Billy loved the way Goody looked at him, all heat and adoration mixed together.

“Nope,” he leaned in pressing a quick kiss to Goody’s cheek, to avoid having their hats collide. “I caught you.”

He took a step back, and smirked before mounting his horse. Gathering his reins he looked down at Goody, with a challenging grin.

“Come on, Goody. Catch me if you can.”

He missed Goody’s response as he had already started riding away, but he could hear the hooves behind him, and so let his horse speed up into a gallop. Laughing with the wind blowing against him, and his heart soaring.

~*~

As the railroad track exited the tunnel it continued to cut through two tall ridges on either side of the track, for a mile and a half. Most of the time the ridges were sheer cliffs just rising out of the earth, but there were also sloping hills of dirt where one could theoretically approach the track from the other side of the ridge. It was a quite ideal spot to do some train robbery, Goody had described it while they were planning the robbery. Full of confidence, but now as Billy watched him biting his bottom lip he seemed a bit nervous.

“Are you sure this will work?” Goody asked.

“Yes,” Billy said, and crouched down beside the large pile of wood and other flammable materials placed on the tracks where the two ridges sloped down to flat open ground again, for another couple of miles before the railroad bridge. Billy bit his own bottom lip for a moment, not looking back at Goody. “Mostly sure,” he added.

He had never done this, but he figured if it didn’t work they could just call this a try run, and come back at try some other way, another time.

“Reassuring,” Goody said. He was standing behind Billy, knees against Billy’s back, holding the reins to their horses. Above them the sun shone bright in the sky, the air hot and the two of them only in shirtsleeves. Billy’s shirt was sticking to his back from sweat, the air around them standing still without even a hint of a breeze.

“If it doesn’t stop or slow down we can go back to the nearest city, whatever its name was, and think up some other plan,” Billy said. “Time?”

He heard the slight jangling of the chain and click of Goody checking his pocket watch.

“A little past one.”

Billy placed a hand on the track, the metal hot, almost unbearably so after it had been baking in the heat for half a day, but his gloves protected his palm; he could hold it there until he felt a faint trembling in the track.

“Are you sure?” Billy asked.

“That my clock is right? Yeah.”

“Not what I meant,” Billy said. A warm palm settled softly against the back of Billy’s neck, and he leaned into the touch.

“I am sure I want to do this.”

The hand on Billy’s neck wasn’t trembling, and Billy nodded.

“Alright, and you are sure… About the content of the safe.”

“Yes, as far as I can tell the money is meant for the Union Pacific shareholders.”

“And they won’t mind if some goes missing,” Billy said.

“Oh, they’ll mind that’s for sure,” Goody said. Billy glanced up at him and saw he was grinning. “But they won’t exactly suffer from the loss.”

Billy smiled and turned back to the task in front of him. He lit a match against the track and tossed it into the pile, followed by a second match just to be sure. Soon enough flames started growing and spreading, devouring the pile. Dark grey smoke grew and the more smoke developed the darker the cloud of smoke got, soon enough it was an almost pitch black cloud filling up the space between the ridges and creating a curtain of darkness.

“They won’t see a thing,” Billy said. 

Still kneeling on the ground he pulled out a regular tobacco cigarette, rolled earlier that morning, and held it to the flames, lighting it, behind he heard Goody scoff at him. Billy put it to his lips as he rose, taking a drag, and slowly breathing out the smoke, before handing it to Goody.

The walked a couple of paces away from the fire, to spare their horses and themselves from the fire smoke, which smelled particularly bad, acrid, stinging in their eyes and noses. Goody handed the cigarette back to Billy.

“My calculations could be wrong,” Goody said. Goody took a drag from the cigarette, ‘hmm’-ing a little as he handed it back to Goody.

“We’ll improvise,” Billy said.

They passed the cigarette between them until it was finished and Billy ground it into the dirt underneath his boot. The rumblings of the train could be heard in the distance. The feeling of nerves and excitement growing with every passing second.

Billy turned to Goody and smiled.

“You ready?”

Goody smiled back at him which was reassuring. If Goody changed his mind Billy would be with him and they’d leave, but the man seemed to have gotten past his first bout of nerves. Standing next to his horse looking so relaxed Billy almost wondered if they had smoked the wrong cigarettes, but he would have noticed if that was the case.

“I am,” Goody said. Billy stepped close to him, pushing his own hat back a little, so that he could lean in for a quick kiss. But as he started to pull back Goody grabbed his shirt and reeled him back in for a longer kiss.

“For luck,” Goody said, when they pulled back, sounding breathless, and Billy’s lips were tingling. “We keep this simple?”

“As simple as possible,” Billy said. “In and out. If something goes terribly awry we bail.”

Goody let go of him, and they both got up on their horses. Billy pulled up the black neckerchief around his neck to cover his mouth and nose. Looking over at Goody he saw he had done the same with a blue neckerchief.

“Alright, let’s go!” Billy shouted. 

Their horses took off in a gallop on the outside of the ridge. They didn’t have to go far before they started climbing the ridge on one of the slopes. At the same time as the train on the other side rumbled past them. And then the sound of screeching breaks as Billy and Goody gave chase over the track between the ridges.

They caught up with the train easily enough as it was slowing down before them. The first half of it almost at a point where it would crash through the fire on the track. The last carriage was the express carriage holding the safe, but it did not have a door at the back end of it, and the platform in between it and the carriage in front was heavily fortified with a tall wall of metal on both sides.

Billy urged his horse on, riding past the carriage in front of the express carriage. The platform between the next carriage and the cargo car in front, was wider, only a waist high railing taking up half the platform right next to the door, leaving an opening of two feet, or if he could get a grip on the railing, which was what he was going to aim for.

He rode as close to the train as possible, it had slowed down considerably, the breaks still screeching and it was almost crawling as the engine plunged through the smoke. Twisting the reins around the pommel of the saddle so as to keep them out of the way of his horse’s galloping hooves. Billy dropped the stirrup on the side away from the train and took a deep breath while keeping his eyes on the train. He took a firm grip on the back of the saddle with both hands and swung his leg forward across his mare’s neck. Twisting to sit sideways in the saddle, moving one hand to the pommel, he prepared to jump.

“Billy!” he heard Goody shout, a note of worry in his tone. Biting his bottom lip, he struggled to steady himself.

Pushing away with his hands he jumped, only just managing to bring his hands forward in time to grab onto the railing. Air pushed out of him as he crashed against the railing with his chest. Feet dangling off the edge. He heard Goody shout his name again.

“I’m fine!” Billy shouted back, his voice sounding strained to his ears. Breathing hard he scrambled to get his feet up on the edge of the platform and finding footing he was able to push himself up to standing on the platform which was shaking and rattling with the movement of the train.

Billy’s horse slowed down without a rider, passed by Goody, and Billy’s horse started following Goody’s neither wanting to abandon their friend.

Billy turned around holding onto the railing behind him with one hand, the other one pushing his hat down firmer on his head. He focused on Goody who was riding as close to the train as he could, his horse looking wide eyed and nostrils flared, ears slicked back against its neck.

At that moment they were plunged through the smoke cloud, Billy had to close his eyes, but they still stung as he opened them a moment later. He blinked a couple of times until his vision sharpened, and then the first thing he saw was Goody.

“The freight car!” Goody shouted to Billy who understood what he meant, he made his way towards the door at the end of the car in front, and spotted the padlock on it.

“Throw me your rifle!” he shouted.

He caught the gun one handed as it came sailing through the air. He hit the butt of the rifle on the lock a couple of times, meanwhile Goody urged his horse forward. Riding past them. The lock broke, and clattered to the floor.

The inside of the freight car was dim, though some of the ill fitting planks let through some sun, as did a couple of what Billy suspected were bullet holes, there was a low whine filling the carriage from the wind through the gaps and holes. He hurried past a large tarp covered object which was the only thing in the carriage.

Fortunately the sliding door on the side of the carriage wasn’t locked, and Billy was able to push it wide open.

“Alright, jump,” Billy shouted.

Goody seemed a little bit hesitant, but then a determined look passed over his face. He steered his horse as close to the train as possible, even though it didn’t look like it liked that at all, throwing its head in irritation again. Goody let go of both stirrups, pulling his legs up so that he was kneeling on the saddle, hands holding tightly onto the pommel. Billy bit his bottom lip.

Goody came up into a low crouch, inching himself around a little, before he kicked off the horse, launching himself into the air, and jumped towards Billy who caught him.

They stumbled and crashed backwards, hats flying off both their heads, and Billy landed on his back with Goody on top of him. They breathed hard, Goody shaking where he lay on Billy, but then all of a sudden he started chuckling, clearly trying to hold it in, and failing. Billy tried his hardest to stay serious, but he couldn’t help a small smile of his own.

“I’m sorry, cher,” Goody managed to say in between chuckles, “It just suddenly hit me that we are actually doing this.”

“And that made you laugh?” Billy asked. 

Goody lifted himself up slightly, and pulled down his neckerchief to look down at Billy, and really it was unfair how much of an effect Goody’s smile had on Billy, as he felt a flutter in his stomach. Goody’s face was flushed and he looked so alive with a glimmer in his eyes and the smile which lit up his whole face, he was beautiful.

“Do you know,” Goody started, stroking a hand over Billy’s hair. The other hand pulling down Billy’s neckerchief “You look positively radiant right now? Robbing trains suits you, mon cher.”

“Should we save the flirting till after?” Billy asked, but gave Goody a crooked smile.

“I don’t know why you think I can’t do both at the same time.”

“Because you are still lying on top of me,” Billy said.

“Have I told you you are very comfortable?”

“Have I told you you are very heavy?” Billy asked, sweetly. “Have you gained weight?”

“That’s just uncalled for,” Goody said, and pouted.

“Your pouting has no effect on me,” Billy said.

“Liar, Goody said, and smiled. “I don’t pout, but if I did, it would totally affect you.”

“Delusional.”

Billy rolled them over before Goody could reply, straddling Goody’s stomach he sat up,

“Should we get back to business?” Billy asked and pulled the neckerchief over his nose and mouth again.

“Cover your face,” he said to Goody, reaching out and tugging at his beard lightly. “Do you want your beard on wanted posters all over the country?”

“I could always shave it off,” Goody said in a contemplative tone.

“Don’t you dare,” Billy said and got up, staggering a little while they had been lying down the train had very slowly started to pick up speed again. He reached out a hand and Goody gripped it letting Billy help him up on his feet.

Goody walked over to the open door, picking up the discarded rifle off the floor as he went, and looked out, while Billy gathered their hats from the floor.

“Shame about the horses though, they’ve been good to us.”

“We bought them a week ago,” Billy pointed out, and handed Goody’s hat to him before putting on his own.

“Yeah but still,” Goody said, putting on his hat. “Waste of two perfectly serviceable animals.”

“Come on,” Billy said, starting to feel a bit impatient, and Goody walked behind him as they left the carriage.

“Right, the express carriage with the safe should be in the carriage after the next, so we just have to walk through this one, which should be empty or well, it should be filled with bags but no people and then—” 

He stopped just as he opened the door to the next carriage and saw what was inside. Instead of bags piled on shelves there were seats and about twenty men all armed with rifles sitting there, every single head swirling towards Billy and Goody.

“Wrong carriage,” Goody called out in a false cheerful tone at the same time as Billy slammed the door shut.

“Now what?” Goody hissed behind Billy who looked at the door, this door didn’t lock with a padlock, but it could thankfully be bolted from the outside. He slid the bolt in place and along with shouts from inside the carriage heard someone thud into the door rattling it slightly.

Billy turned and looked around before facing Goody.

“Roof,” Billy said, pointing up.

“That’s crazy,” Goody said. But he followed as Billy started climbing the ladder.

“You know they have a door on the other side of the carriage too.”

“We’ll have the high ground,” Billy said, trying to be reassuring. Something in his chest burning and he realized it was excitement.

“They could climb up on the roof,” Goody said. Billy paused at the top of the ladder, holding on with one arm, he pulled the kerchief down so that Goody would see his grin as he looked over his shoulder.

“Why would they? That’s crazy.”

“Was that a joke?” Goody asked. While Billy turned away, covering half his face again and crawled up on the roof. “Did you just make a joke?” Goody asked behind him, Billy chose not to answer.

The train had started to gather some speed, but Billy managed to get up on his feet, and with legs slightly bent found he could stand as long as he focused on centering himself. He pushed his hat down on his head and with the wind pushing at his back he took a few steps forward, then turned halfway and watched Goody come crawling up on the roof. Billy walked back to him, and put a steadying hand on Goody’s arm as he got up on his feet.

Billy leaned in close and spoke straight into Goody’s ear to be heard over the wind and the train, “stay close to me, and don’t fall off.”

Goody scoffed as Billy turned around and started walking, Goody right behind him.

The first few feet went well, and then there was an unexpected bump and the whole carriage shook and rattled. Billy swayed slightly and reached out, hand closing around Goody’s shirt.

“Still here cher,” Goody called, and Billy smiled a little.

They were almost at the halfway point when Billy saw a head pop up over the edge on the other side. Billy pulled his gun and fired, the man ducked, but not before Billy’s bullet sent the man’s hat flying off his head.

Billy picked up the pace a little, and Goody followed the new speed. Another person started climbing up, Billy already had his gun in hand and lifted it and took aim, but just as he squeezed the trigger the carriage rocked under hs feet and as his gun hand wobbled the bullet went wide.

The other man made it up on his feet and started sprinting for them. Billy took aim again and fired off a shot which the man only just managed to dodge. Billy fired again and this time hitting him in the chest, he kept advancing a few more steps, but as the carriage rocked he was thrown to the side. Behind him however Billy could spot more people climbing up.

A loud crash behind them distracted Billy, and he stopped and half turned around as had Goody, and a moment later a man could be seen looking over the edge of the carriage from the end they had come from.

“I’ll deal with them,” Goody shouted. “You open the path before us.”

Billy caught his eyes and gave a short nod before moving ahead, while Goody stopped where he was.

He had only taken a few steps when a bullet came from behind almost hitting him in the leg, and he flinched and turned around.

“Thought you were going to deal with that,” Billy shouted.

“I’m working on it,” Goody shouted back, readying his rifle and taking aim he shot the rifleman on the edge of the roof behind them.

Billy turned forward noticing the man who had taken advantage of the distraction and made his way very close to Billy. Snarling, Billy holstered his gun and pulled a knife instead. The other man hadn’t pulled his own gun before starting to advance, and now he was fumbling with the piece in his holster. Billy took a few short steps forward, he couldn’t dodge if the man did pull his gun, because the risk was too large that a stray bullet Billy ducked would instead hit Goody behind him. Instead Billy would have to be faster.

The stranger gave up on his gun when Billy reached him, instead lifting his arm to block when Billy slashed at him with the knife. Billy’s wrist was grabbed in a strong hand. Before the man could react, Billy pulled a second knife with his other hand and stabbing it into the man’s stomach. Billy watched the man’s face pale. He gasped and Billy pulled out the knife before pushing it in again. The grip around his wrist went slack, Billy pushed the man to the side, letting him topple off of the roof.

 

The next man was upon Billy before he could react, armed with a knife.He grappled with him, and Billy dropped one of his knives. It clattered on the metal roof and flew off the side of the train. 

Knife hand locked in a tight grip, free hand holding the wrist of the other man to prevent him from using his knife. They swayed a little as the carriage rocked and jostled. Behind him came the steady sound of Goody’s rifle. He could also hear shouting, though no words could be made out over the sound of the train and the wind.

Billy kicked the shin of the man he was grappling with, it didn’t make him let go, but he moved his foot. Billy moved fast, letting go first of his own knife – he had more – then let go of the man’s wrist at the same time as he ducked down to a crouch. The man let go of Billy’s wrist in surprise. He dove between the man’s legs, turning over onto his back he pulled his gun. He shot the man several times in the back until his gun clicked.

Holstering the gun he jumped back up on his feet, twisting around just in time to avoid a knife stabbing towards his head. He knocked the man’s arm away. Pulled a knife and slashed the blade across the man’s stomach opening it up. The man’s eyes widened and Billy cut his throat, one quick slice and then pushed him off the train.

Raising his arm automatically to block the punch from another man. He grabbed that man’s arm, twisted it behind the man’s back, turning him around. He held the stranger in front of himself as guns started going off. Riddling the man in front of Billy with bullets. The dead body sagged, and Billy pulled the dead man’s gun and dropped him. Two men at the end of the roof were reloading, and unprepared as Billy quickly shot them both.

Behind him Goody was also reloading. Billy looked over his shoulder and saw a man advancing across the roof towards Goody. Billy turned around and shot the man in the thigh, and made him pause long enough for Goody to blow a hole in his chest.

“I had it under control!” Goody shouted at Billy who ignored that comment and shot the man coming towards him. Then the gun clicked and Billy threw it at the next man who ducked it. It was enough time for Billy to rush forward before the stranger had time to straighten up and properly aim his gun.

Billy, feeling brave and a bit cocky tried a spinning kick. It was successful in that he kicked the man’s gun hand, making the revolver sail through the air, but the carriage rocked as Billy finished spinning around and he lost his balance. He crashed into the stranger, just as the carriage rocked again, swaying in the other direction and since Billy never got his feet under him, he felt himself slipping. Taking tight grip on the other man’s shirt the two started to tumble.

Billy’s heart jumped up into his throat. The other man screamed as they rolled down the roof. Billy let go of the man. He scramble for something to hold onto. Holding his breath, he managed to catch himself on a small ledge on the edge of the roof. He was almost pulled off as the other man grabbed hold of Billy’s legs, but Billy managed to hold on. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, arms straining.

“Billy!” Goody shouted worry in his voice.

Billy looked up. Goody had turned towards Billy and wasn’t seeing the man coming up towards him. Billy’s heart jumped again.

“Goody!” Billy shouted. 

Goody spun around, throwing up his rifle sideways holding it with both hands, and the other man gripped it before it got punched into his face.

Billy ground his teeth together and tried to pull himself up, but to no avail, and the man hanging onto his leg was no help, just hanging there screaming. Billy felt his own excitement, the adrenaline in his body start to turn into a frantic panicked worry, especially when he spotted the men coming from the back of the carriage, Now they could just walk straight by Billy and up behind Goody’s back. _They could just shoot him in the back_. Billy felt his whole body go cold, his heart stopping at the thought.

 _No._ No, he wouldn’t allow it. He was not going to let some hired guards kill Goody. He had to get back up on the roof.

Billy kicked with his legs, and kicked and kicked until the man holding onto him lost his grip and fell with a scream. Billy then swung his legs closer to the train wall and with a mighty heave pulled his upper body up and over the edge. Still only halfway up on the roof he looked over again at Goody, and saw to his horror how the stranger grappling with Goody for the rifle, pulled the rifle close so himself, and kneed Goody in the groin. Goody sank to his knees and let go of the rifle.

Billy scrambled up on the roof, never taking his eyes off of Goody, and therefore saw the guard hit Goody over the side of his head with the butt of the rifle. Something snapped inside of Billy, something vicious and protective and furious. A man sprinted past Billy who got to his feet and threw himself up on the back of the man, pulling a knife and slitting his throat in one quick motion. The man fell to his knees with Billy on top of his back.

He got up on his feet, baring his teeth he caught the gaze of the man holding onto Goody’s rifle. A rumbling through his stomach and chest came out as a low growl. He glared at the man who had dared to hurt Goody, Billy was going to show him why no one was allowed to lay a hand on _his_ Goody. Something of what was going through Billy’s mind must have reflected in his face, because the other man paled and took a worried half step backwards.

Billy pulled out a second knife, he was down to his two last knives, and with a roar that surprised even himself he sprinted forward. Past Goody’s kneeling form, and the threw himself at the guard who backed several steps and dropped the rifle.

He was on him in the blink of an eye, a roaring fire of anger inside his chest. The guard tried to defend himself, but hopelessly outclassed against Billy’s speed and experience with knives. His screams were quickly silenced and Billy picked up Goody’s rifle before walking over to him. Anger washing off him like rain, and replaced instead with concern as he watched Goody get to his feet.

“Are you alright?” Billy asked and handed Goody the rifle. He started to reach out towards the side of Goody’s face where a bruise was already starting to take shape. When there was the sound of a gunshot and bullets started whizzing past them.

They both turned towards the back of the carriage. One person standing on the ladder with a rifle, another one crouched on the roof with a revolver.

“Will you let me, mon cher,” Goody said and lifted his rifle. He shot the man with the revolver who was too late to dodge, but the man on the ladder jumped down.

“I’ll get him,” Billy said.

He sprinted across the roof, and jumped down on the platform between the carriages. The man there letting out a surprised yelp, and then pulled a knife. Billy blocked his attempt at stabbing with his forearm against the man’s wrist. The man’s blade glinting inches from Billy’s face. With his other hand he slashed the man’s chest, blood welling up in the tear of his shirt, but he just pushed harder with his knife arm against Billy’s.

Billy stabbed the man in the opposite shoulder and that made him pull his arm back, leaving Billy with the opportunity to ram his remaining knife into the side of the man’s neck.

Billy glanced through the open door at his side and didn’t see any more people.

“All clear!” He shouted.

A moment later Goody came climbing down the ladder. Once Goody was in front of Billy, Billy put his hand gently on the side of Goody’s face, the skin hot against his palm.

“Are you okay?” Billy asked.

“Just a ringing headache, nothing major,” Goody said. “Are you alright?”

“Of course, nothing can hurt me.”

“Cher,” Goody said, blue eyes dark and serious. “I can take care of myself.”

“I think the polite response is ‘thank you’,” Billy said. Goody pulled down the kerchief so that Billy could see him smile, and then he grabbed Billy’s hand, holding onto it and moving it to his mouth so that he could kiss Billy’s fingers.

“Thank you, mon cher,” Goody murmured against Billy’s fingers, and Billy felt a tingle deep in his gut.

“I think you gave me fingerless gloves so that you could kiss my hand without anything in between,” Billy said. Goody let their hands drop, but he kept hold of it, and Billy too was reluctant to let go.

“I will kiss your blood stained fingers naked or clad in leather it makes no difference.”

“Was that supposed to sound romantic?” Billy asked dubiously. “Because pointing out that I have blood on my hands is not very romantic.”

“So that is a no to a poem about you wading through blood to save me?”

“I think it would be frowned upon by the rest of the world.”

“Frowned upon?”

“Your vocabulary rubbing off on me again.”

“I can rub off somethi—”

Billy held up a finger in front of his lips.

“I am gonna to stop you right there. We are here for a reason.”

“Ah, and what is that again?”

“Larceny,” Billy said, because Goody still hadn’t pulled up the kerchief again which meant he got to see the always delighted smile and eyes glittering with mirth whenever Billy used some word Goody knew that Billy had only picked up from him.

“Ah of course,” Goody said and grinned. “Though I distinctly remember you also saying we would bail if something went wrong.”

“Do you want to bail?” Billy asked.

“Not after all this effort, no,” Goody said and gestured at the dead body on the floor between them.

At that moment the door to the express carriage opened. Goody turned his face away and Billy pulled Goody’s revolver, since he hadn’t had the chance to reload his own and Goody had only used the rifle.

“This is a robbery,” Billy told the man in the doorway, his own hand going to the handle of his gun, but then dropped when he saw the gun in Billy’s hand.

“I suggest doing what we tell you,” Goody said turning back around, now with the kerchief covering half his face again. “Or you might end up like your friend here.” He gestured at the dead man on the floor. “Do you understand?”

The guard nodded.

“Great, take off your gun belt and throw it off the train.”

The guard hesitated but did as he was told.

“Alright now, what’s your name?”

“Uh… Derek.”

“Alright, Derek, now turn around and walk back inside the carriage.”

Derek the guard turned and walked back inside, and Billy followed him, with Goody right behind him.

The express carriage was empty except for the large safe at the other end. Goody found a piece of rope, tied up the guard, and ordered him to sit down on the floor.

“Do you know who you are stealing from?” Derek asked.

“Why of course we do, it’s why we are here,” Goody said. “My friend here used to be in their employ but they never paid him, can you imagine that? So he is here to take what he is owed.”

“And you?”

“Oh, I’m his interpreter,” Goody said, grandiously. “The only words he knows in English are ‘this is a robbery’.”

The guard looked sceptical.

“He used to run with a band of highway robbers in England as a teen, they only taught him that phrase,” Goody _‘explained’._ “And when that whole band except him were rounded up he decided to come to America and try his luck, as so many have before and still do, but after a few unpaid gambling debts he ended up working for Union-Pacific.”

Billy didn’t roll his eyes at the fabricated story, Goody seemed to be enjoying himself.

“No one there had any interest in teaching him the language.”

“And why haven’t you?” The guard asked, which was a valid question, though Billy felt they were both kind of forgetting what was actually going on.

“Well, I speak his native language of course,” Goody said. “You see as a young boy I was brought along on my parents’ expedition with the rest of my family, and they kind of... forgot me there. That sort of thing happens easily enough, I was the tenth child, you see. And they already had three grown boys. I was quite used to being left behind.” 

Goody now looked like he was having a little too much fun weaving this fabricated story and really Billy should interrupt him and get them back on track. 

“So there I was, wandering a foreign country until an official came upon me, I was no more than ten at the time. I was brought before the king and allowed to stay in the palace, and educated there as I picked up their language. It took my parents about ten years to fund a return trip to come and get me.”

The story was of course completely ludicrous, but the guard was looking at Goody with wide eyes, apparently buying every word of it. Billy coughed loudly, deciding to play along, and then tugged at Goody’s arm until he followed him over to the safe and away from Derek the guard.

“What are you doing?” Billy hissed in a whisper.

“I got a bit carried away,” Goody whispered back.

“How much time do we have?” Billy asked, still in a hushed voice. Goody pulled out his pocket watch and opened it with a little flourish, he frowned down at it.

“Not a lot,” he said pocketing the watch again. He turned towards Derek. “Hey, Derek do you have the key to the safe?”

“Of course not,” Derek said. “The key isn’t on the train.”

“Well, we planned for that,” Goody said in a whisper as he turned back to Billy. He handed the bag he had been carrying to Billy.

“If you set up the dynamite I will keep an eye on Derek and the door.”

Billy raised an eyebrow.

“I have to tell him how we met,” Goody said. “I am thinking it should have something to do with a shipwreck, and a buried treasure.”

Billy shoved the bag back in Goody’s arms, and pointed at the safe.

“You do the dynamite, I will keep watch.”

Billy stalked over to the door, locked it and then still holding the gun stood there watching it and Derek, impassively, while Goody arranged the dynamite. It didn’t take long before Goody lit the fuse and hurried over to Billy grabbing his arm and pushing him down against the door, and they both covered their ears.

The explosion was still deafening, there was a ringing in Billy’s ears, but he looked over at the cloud of debris, and as it dissipated he could see the door to the safe swaying half off of its hinges. He glanced at Goody who was also looking at the safe, but his eyes glittering, and Billy could tell he was smiling.

Billy straightened, and walked over to the safe, past Derek who had been knocked out. A couple of bills still fluttering in the air, and some lying on the floor. Billy grabbed the bag Goody had carried the dynamite in, as well as the second bag inside that bag, he handed one to Goody and then started to fill up the bag with the bills in the safe. Next to him Goody laughed, a giddy sound that created a warm feeling in Billy’s stomach, and he had to pull down his kerchief and smile at Goody.

Goody laughed again, and grabbed Billy pulling him in and placing a loud wet kiss on Billy’s cheek, and Billy couldn’t help a chuckle of his own.

Billy didn’t hear it right away, his ears still ringing slightly, and too distracted by the bubbling excitement in his chest, but slowly he started to realize the sound tre train made on the tracks was changing, it had turned into something hollow.

“What’s the time?” He asked, with a frown. Goody pulled out his watch.

“Oh, shit, we might be on the bridge,” Goody exclaimed.

Billy slung the bag he had filled over his shoulder and closed it. Some of the bills would probably be destroyed but most would hopefully survive. He walked over to the wide sliding door, and pulled it open. A wind gust hitting him in the face, almost making his hat fly off.

The train was moving at speed now over a bridge, and below was a lake with glittering blue water. Goody came and stood next to him.

“That’s a bit of a drop,” Goody said, pulling down his kerchief and swallowing hard. “It didn’t look this tall at a distance.”

“Too late to change our minds now,” Billy said, pulling down his own kerchief. The drop wasn’t that far, and Billy had already been on a swim in the lake when they were checking it out, and he had done a thorough check of the bottom making sure it would be safe to jump in. However, it was a small lake, and a short bridge, so time was pressing.

“You can do it,” Billy said. He grabbed the back of Goody’s head and pulled him in for a quick hard kiss.

“I love you, cher,” Goody murmured against his lips, and Billy’s heart swelled. He leaned his head forehead against Goody’s, eyes closed and he breathed him in, there was a scent of smoke and dynamite over him, but underneath it all there was that familiar scent that Billy thought of as Goody and made him feel at home.

“I love you,” Billy whispered. He squeezed the back of Goody’s neck and pulled back, fingers lingering on Goody, before letting his arm drop. “On three?”

Goody nodded.

“One.” Billy turned and looked out. It was now or never. “Two.” He felt Goody grab his hand, and squeeze it. “Three!”

They jumped.

Wind whooshed around him, and hat flying off his head. Hair worked loose from the bun whipped around his face getting in his eyes. His heart raced and something wild and crazy in his chest made him whoop loudly as they fell. He lost his grip on Goody, and then he hit the surface with a big splash.

Billy kicked hard with his legs, swimming upwards and despite the bag weighing him down he broke the surface and took a large deep breath. He spun around looking for Goody, but didn’t see him immediately. A cold hand gripped his heart, but then he spotted the bubbles a few feet away. He swam over and dove down getting his arms around Goody’s middle he pushed him up.

Goody spluttered and coughed and tried to trash free from Billy’s arms, but Billy kept hold of his upper body until he calmed down.

“I’m fine,” Goody said, voice rough, and then coughed. “You can let go of me now,” he said when the coughing subsided. Billy squeezed him tighter, legs kicking under the water to keep them up, and he kissed Goody’s neck, tasting freshwater. He eventually did let go of Goody and they started swimming towards the bank.

They reached the nearest bank, and crawled up on it and then dropped down in the grass, both of them panting and Billy needed a moment for the adrenaline to settle, his whole body trembling, and his insides still bubbling with the thrill of it all.

Next to him Goody started laughing after a couple of minutes. A loud joyful laugh, and Billy looked over at him. Goody was lying there next to him, shaking with laughter, head thrown back and face looking up at the sky but his eyes closed, the sun shining down on him, and Goody laughing so carefree had to be one of the most beautiful things to witness in the world, Billy thought.

“I just robbed a train,” Goody said in between laughter, his voice filled with disbelief, but also a trace of wonder and joy. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Billy, his blue eyes glittering even more than the lake did in the sunshine.

“We just robbed a train,” Goody said.

“We did,” Billy said, smiling back at Goody.

“I can hardly believe it,” Goody said.

“Well, we have the money to back it up.”

“That we do,” Goody grinned and patted the bag which he then removed and crawled over to Billy to lean over him. Billy looked up and into his face, breath catching in his throat at the look of fondness and affection that met him. Goody brushed his fingers down the side of Billy’s face.

“Thank you,” Goody said, voice low.

“For what?”

“For indulging me, for doing this at risk to your own life, for going along with my insane ideas.”

Billy wasn’t sure how to say it had been just as much for his own sake. That he had wanted to do it. Instead he brushed his own fingers over Goody’s face.

“I will follow you wherever you go,” Billy said. A promise; a solemn vow of devotion.

Goody surged forward and Billy met him the kiss hot and passionate and breathtaking, only to slowly transform into something slower, gentler. As they let themselves lose track of time trading soft kisses and gentle caresses, while the sun warmed and dried them.

~*~ 

Eventually they made their way into the the stand of trees nearby. Where they had left their other horses, tied up to prevent them from straying, but on ropes long enough for them to graze. All the tack and saddlebags hidden in a hollow tree with a bush pushed in front of the hole.

Goody started to pull out the replacement clothes from the bag, and they changed into dry clothes, and burned the ones they had been wearing. Soon enough Billy was clad in pinstripes again, black vest pulled over a white shirt. He strapped on his gun and knife belt again, which felt way too light.

“I’m going to need new knives,” Billy said. And looked over at Goody, vest and shirt, and once more wearing the grey coat he had left behind, who was tying an ascot again, having discarded the kerchief.

“Well, I think we should be able to afford to outfit you with the very best of knives. Perhaps made of gold?”

Billy frowned.

“That would be terribly impractical,” Billy said.

“Yes, but imagine what a sight you would be.”

“That may be, but impractical knives aren’t going to make it easy to defend myself from every robber out there who tries to steal them off of me,” Billy pointed out. Though he was reasonably sure he could defend himself from most everything with or without the knives. But it seemed like inviting unnecessary trouble to be wearing that much gold on his hips.

Goody frowned.

“Alright, no gold knives,” Goody said.

Billy walked over to him and straightened the ascot.

“We can get the very best knives without them looking like they may be worth something,” Billy said.

Goody gave him a lopsided smile.

“Alright, cher.”

They got the horses ready and left, riding side by side up the incline and away from the lake and the train tracks. They rode fast to start with but eventually had to slow down to let the horses walk.

“So,” Billy started a few miles later. “In your version of my life. How did I end up in England running around with a band of highway robbers?”

Goody turned to him and grinned.

“Why you stowed away on a ship of course. And they didn’t find you until it was way too late to turn back.”

“And they didn’t throw me overboard?” Billy asked.

“Heavens no, the captain was sure it would bring bad luck to do something like that, so instead you had to do all the tasks the other sailors least wanted to do.”

“Of course,” Billy said, and Goody continued. 

Weaving a story out of nothing, entirely fueled by his imagination and the occasional comment from Billy questioning some detail which always set Goody off on a tangent to explain it. He seemed to really enjoy himself, and Billy sat in his saddle and smiled. Happiness bubbling in his chest, he loved listening to Goody talk, it lit up his face and smoothed out the worry lines in his face. He was a born storyteller, and Billy wondered what might have happened had life not thrown him in another direction, but if Goody had stayed at home telling stories would they have even met? It was an idea far too depressing for Billy to want to contemplate and he focused back on the present.

He was lucky, he was happy, and he was in love; and for a little while now they were rich and going to make the most of it.


End file.
